The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management(BOEM) issued an order to halt all offshore operations of the Revolution Wind project. The decision was communicated on August 22 to the U.S. subsidiary of Ørsted, the Danish developer leading the project along with Skyborn Renewables. The action is based on an internal review by the Department of the Interior, mandated by Presidential Memorandum dated January 20, 2025.
Suspension of the offshore wind farm construction work
The Revolution Wind project has all required federal and state permits, including approval of its Construction and Operations Plan as of November 2023. The project includes 65 Siemens Gamesa turbines, of which 45 are installed. In addition, the marine foundations are complete and the substation was expected to be installed by the end of August, prior to the defined regulatory intervention.
BOEM indicated that the suspension will allow to evaluate possible conflicts with reasonable uses of the sea and to protect the country’s strategic interests. This decision marks the second time in 2025 that an offshore wind farm under construction has been halted, following the Empire Wind 1 case.
This 704 MW development has 20-year power purchase agreements with Rhode Island and Connecticut. It also manages to employ hundreds of unionized workers and be part of Ørsted’s broader strategy to promote the wind infrastructure infrastructure in more than 40 states. To date, Revolution Wind’s development has accumulated more than 2 million unionized work hours.
The company is complying with the order and taking steps to safely halt offshore activities. It has also stated that it is analyzing legal avenues and maintains the goal of completing the farm before the end of 2026. The Ørsted company has reiterated that its project complies with all legal and regulatory requirements set by federal authorities.
Photo: Revolution Wind
